Organic Fabrics - Are They All Treated?

May 31, 2014 by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Sheila

Hi Debra,

I am trying to outfit my daughter's bedroom. I have considered purchasing organic cotton fabric from fabric vendors to make my own curtains, pillow covers, bedding, etc.

Is that a safe bet? Are all fabrics typically treated with formaldehyde and other chemicals?

I also purchased a set of organic cotton sheets from Target. Much to my dismay, they had an odor. I feel like anything with an odor has chemicals on it. Are you familiar with the Target sheets?

Any advice on what fabrics I can use in her room that are non-toxic?

Thank you so much.

Debra's Answer

Not all organic fabrics are treated, but some are.

Unfortunately, at the moment there is a difference between an organic fabric that is organic every step of the way and fabrics made with organic fibers but then have chemical processing.

Go to the Fabrics page of Debra's List. These are the best resources I know of for fabrics. They will be able to answer any questions you have about their fabrics.

Especially look for 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton textiles, these are made from organic fibers and processed without chemicals. One example is Naturepedic (babies + kids) and Naturepedic (adult) GOTS certified sheets (and other bedding). There are no chemicals added (fragrances or otherwise) and any cotton smell washes away.

As well, if there ever is any smell, it’s a cotton smell which will wash away.

It's great that Target and other discount stores are supporting organic cotton, but the cheaper price point usually means some toxic chemicals are involved in the processing and finishes.